Member Biography

His full name was Thomas Lee McClung; his nickname, given
him by his Yale friends, was "Bum." He played halfback at
Yale 1888-91, and was captain in 1891. Individual records for
those years are unofficial, but McClung is credited with scoring
176 points in the 1889 season and 494 in his career.
(Touchdowns were 4 points, field goals 5, extra points 2.)
Yale's won-lost record in his four years was 13-0, 15-1, 13-1,
13-0; total 54-2. Yale out-scored opponents each year 694-
0, 601-31, 486-18, 488-0; total 2269-49. In 1892, Bum
McClung coached the University of California football team.
He then went into railroads, insurance, and banking. From
November 1, 1909, to November 12, 1912, he was Treasurer
of the United States. A facsimile of his signature is on paper
currency printed in that period. He was born March 26, 1870,
in Knoxville, TN, and died December 14, 1914, in London,
England. His great-grandfather, Charles McClung, was a
surveyor who laid out the city of Knoxville. The McClung
family history is preserved in the Frank H. McClung Museum
at the University of Tennessee and the McClung Collection of
the Knoxville Public Library. Bum was one of three McClung
brothers who graduated from Yale. He served Yale University
as its treasurer 1904-09, served as Yale alumni president and
was national councilman of the Boy Scouts of America. His
full name was Thomas Lee McClung, but he preferred to be
known as Lee McClung, and that is the way his signature
appeared on U.S. currency.